Latching apparatus for coke oven doors



June 25, 1957 Filed Feb. y1, 195e l, LATCHING H. KRONE APPARATUS FOR COKE OVEN DOORS s sheets-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. I '//EI/vz Ke@ r:-

June 2 5, 1957 H, KRONE 2,797,1*4 l LATCHING APPARATUS FOR COKE OVEN DOORS 'y Filed Feb; 1,V 195e s sheets-,Sgen 2 H.KRONE LATHING APPARATUS FOR COKE OVEN DOORS June 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1. 195e OVEN CHAN BER,

INVENTOR FLEXI BLE CON NECTI ON MOTOR-REDUCE!! DOOR-MACHINE FAME.

FLEXIBLE CONNECTION United States Patent O LATCHING APPARATUS FOR COKE OVEN DORS Heinz Krone, Essen, Germany, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 1, 1956, Serial No. 562,863

11 Claims. (Cl. 292-1) The present invention relates to an improvement of the device of German Patent No. 914,603. The device of said patent comprises apparatus for tightening and releasing coke oven doors which are held in the closed position of the door by the pressure of springs between the main body of the door and latch bars which are mounted on bolts on the door and engage latch hooks on a surrounding frarne for the door, the release of the latch bars being eiected by means of a pressure applying device that is detachably connected with the door. The pressure applying device of said German patent consists of a revolving drive element provided with coils or wedge surfaces which operate a pressure transmitting means for compressing the closure springs by the turning movement of the revolving drive element against a support means connected with coupling claws which grasp the bolt for the latch bar.

According to the device of the German patent, the drive element is turned by means of a pinion on an outer cog. The drive of this pinion must be effected by means of a drive means installed outside of the axis of the bolt on the door for the latch bar.

The object of the present invention is to improve the device of the German patent by way of providing a more simple modification thereof in which it is possible to employ a direct axial connection of the drive and the coupling claws to the bolt and thereby continue Vthe use of the known means heretofore employed for rotating the bolt by an electric motor of Berg U. S. Patent 2,179,608 by which the axial compression of the springs, which seal the door by means of spring pressure on the cross bar latches on the bolt, is elected by thek rotary motion of said Berg electric motor system.

This general object of the invention is attained by operatively connecting the rotary drive means with the pressure transmitting means, for converting the rotary movement of the drive to an axial linear movement of the pressure transmitting means through screw Vthreads between the rotary drive means and a housing containing the pressure transmitting means and which is flexibly and movably connected on allv sides thereof witha supporting framework or carriage for eiecting said detachable connection of the rotary drive means to said door bolts. The housing also contains on the interior thereof swingable coupling claws which, on axial movement of the pressure transmitting means, are operated by such axial spring compression motion of the pressure transmitting means through cams, or gearing to eiect an opposing force coupling engagement of the claws in power lock fashion in an annular groove of the'bolt for the latch bars during the transmission of power for compression to the springs.

This general object is here attained by way of two different embodiments of the invention with a two part housing in both of which the screw threaded connection is between an outer housing part and the rotary drive means.

In one embodiment, in order to bring theV coupling claws, after retracting the pressure transmitting means 2,797,114 Patented June 25, 1957 from the door in restoring the sealing pressure, from the vicinity of the annular groove on the door bolt, the coupling claws are constructed according to the invention as double arm levers whereby the axial movement for forcing the coupling claws also serves reversely, in the uncoupled position to act against the back lever arm of these double levers, to hold the claws retracted from the groove on the door bolt. In this embodiment the housing is in two parts, an inner part constituting the pressure transmitting means, and an outer part which is provided with the ilexible means for attachment to the framework or carriage and which outer part also carries the claws.

In this embodiment, cams, or rolls, are arranged also on the back of the lever arm of the claws and run on suitable inclined or curved cam surfaces on reversely movable parts during the drawing back of the pressure transmitting means from the door spring. The coupling claws can, within the contemplation of the invention, instead be unlatched by spring pressure on the back of the lever arms, after the cam follower of the coupling claws grtve from their inclined cam surfaces for latching on the A further embodiment of the invention contemplates an arrangement to axially move the pressure transmitting means in acting on the closing spring, by a rotary pressure transmitting ring provided with outside screw threads and with a planetary gear drive. The planetary drive is arranged in a cylindrical inner part of a two part housing which is provided with means for exibly and movably connecting the housing with the supporting framework, and the coupling claws are in the inner part and are engaged in the bolt groove by the axial motion of the pressure transmitting means which is constituted of the outer part of the housing.

In this second embodiment of the invention the coupling claws consist of semicircular coupling bolts with a atside, constructed completely spherical at their ends, within reach of the annular groove of the latch-bar bolt, and placed in the coupling means transversely to the axis. The flat side of said bolts are Hush with the inner wall of the inner housing coupling part in the uncoupled position. Racks xedly mounted in the outer housing part containing the pressure transmitting means to act, during advancing axial pressure motion of the pressure transmitting means, on cog wheels on the coupling bolts to cause by a half turn, engagement of the coupling bolts within the annular groove of the latch bar bolt on the door.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l illustrates in horizontal section apparatus constructed according to the iirst embodiment of the invention, for releasing coke oven doors, the apparatus being shown in the uncoupled position but advanced `over the head of the bolt for the latch bar.

Fig. 2 illustrates the apparatus of Fig. l in the final coupled position.

Fig. 3 illustrates the second embodiment of the invention in horizontal section, wherein the apparatus is advanced over the head of the bolt for the latch bar but is not yet fully coupled therewith.

Fig. 4 shows the apparatus of Fig. 3 in nal coupled position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along line V- V of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section along line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a coke oven door embodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is a partial end elevation showing the door latched in hooks on its door frame.

For the sake of simplicity the only parts of the door illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings that are shown are the latch bar bolt 5 with head 30, a part of the latch ICC bar 6, and the boss 32 for compressing the closing spring 6'. u

The pressure applying apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 consists first of the inner housing part containing cornpressing pressure transmitting means or body 33, the function of which is to press boss 32 against spring 6' while the door is pulled against the spring 6' by bolt 5 through the action of hooks 13, to compress the closing spring 6 against boss 32 so as to release the spring pressure on latch bar 6. The pressure transmitting body 33 is cylindrical and has a back wall 70 with which a centering cylindrical part 71 is connected. Cylindrical centering part 71 of the pressure transmitting body 32 glides easily over head 30 of the latch bar bolt S on advance of the pressure applying apparatus as a unitary whole, and serves as a guide by means of which the axial position of the unit is established in case of an inexact alignment position of the pressure applying apparatus relative to bolt on advancing it against the latch bar bolt 5. For this purpose the end of the guide means 71 is conical.

An outer housing part 72 is glidably arranged for movement axially over the inner housing pressure transmitting body 33 and has a back base 73. The rear position of outer housing part 72 has inner screw threads 74 in which the outer screw threads of a rotary disk drive means 51 engages. The rotary drive disk 51 bears the back 70 of the pressure transmitting body 33 by means of ball bearings 75. Pressure transmitting back 70 and drive disk 51 are intersected by a rotary drive shaft 76 which is rigidly connected to disk 51 for rotaton therewith but rotatable relative to back 70.

Housing outer part 72 is provided with pedestal brackets 77 at two diametrically opposite places. A coupling claw 13 is pivotally mounted at 39 in each pedestal. The bent grasping end of the coupling claws engage in an annular groove 5.0 of the head of the latch bar bolt 5. On the back of coupling claws 13 there is arranged a cam follower 78 which lies against the inner wall of inner housing pressure transmitting body 33 in the uncoupled position, and after relative movement between the pressure transmitting body 33 and housing part 72, as apparent from Fig. 2, rises on a projecting inclined cam surface 79, thus forcing claws 13 onto the grooved part 50 of bolt 5.

Claws 13 are double arm levers, and the back lever arms 80 as apparent from the left halves of Figs. 1 and 2, lalso have a cam follower 81, which in the uncoupled position as shown in Fig. 1 has risen on Ian inclined cam` surface 82 of the outer housing part 72 and has forced claws 13 into their uncoupled position. Alternatively, as apparent from the right hand halves of Figs. 1 and 2, an explansion spring 83 between the black lever arm 80 and pedestal 77 effects the uncoupling movement of claws 13.

The pressure transmitting means 33 is flexibly and movably mounted on a supporting frame 85 by means of springs 84 between the outer housing part back 73 and the frame 85.

The operating method of the pressure apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows.

The pressure applying means is lirst advanced against the door 4 until pressure transmitting body 33 lies directly in front of boss 32. Thereby claws 13 arrive in position to reach in the annular groove 50 in head 30 of latch bar bolt 5 and the guide means 71 is advanced partially over the head 30 of the bolt 5, whereby the pressure applying apparatus as a unitary whole is established in the correct axial position byl the flexing action of the springs 84. By rotating drive shaft 76, for example by means of an electric motor reducer 76 shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing, the drive disk 51 is turned in threads 74 by shaft 76, by means equivalent to that of said .Berg patent. Thereby the pressure transmitting body 33 is forced by the movement ofvback 70 by disk 51, axially against boss 32 in the direction of the arrow 88. Housing part 72 is supported by means of spring 84 on the sup- 4 porting frame 85, whereby housing part 72 moves only relatively slightly in the direction of arrow 87 with compression of spring 84. In this way the closing spring 6 of the door are compressed to take the pressure of spring 6 ioff 'of the latch bar 6 so that it can be released from its latch hook 4', Fig. 8.

However, up to the time of the actual starting of the compression of the closing spring 6', cams 78 on the inner housing part 33 rise on the inclined surfaces 79 with the inward axial motion of pressure transmitting means of the inner housing part body 33, whereby claws 13 engage in the annular groove 50 of the head 30 of the bolt 5. Thereby the bolt 5 is held rmly under outward pressure, while the pressure transmitting body 33 is moved inward against boss 32, as in the position shown in Fig. 2. Bolt 5 is rigidly fast to door 4, Fig. 7.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3-6 the outer housing constitutes the pressure transmitting body 33 which is also cylindrical and a cylindrical inner coupling means 90 is axially mounted in the pressure body 33. The coupling means 90, in the form of an inner housing part, simultaneously forms the centering guide 71 of Fig. l over the head 30 of the latch bar bolt 5 which guide tapers towards the outside as at 91. Pressure transmitting body 33 also has a tapering face 92 in corresponding manner.

Theinner housing part coupling means 90 has an inner bore which terminates at 93. Thereby the entrance thereto of the head 30 of the bolt 5 is limited on advancing the pressure applying means against the door. Inner coupling housing part 90 and outer housing part pressure transmitting body 33 are axially movable in respect to one another but are non-rotatably connected with one another as is also the case in Figs. 1 land 2. For assembly a screw 9.4 is screwed into the inner housing part and coupling means 90 which intersects the pressure transmitting body 33 through slit 95 for such axial play.

The part 96 of inner pressure transmitting body 33 is widened and provided with inner screw threads 97 in which a drive ring '98 engages by screw threads. Drive ring 98 has an inner cog gear 99 in which three planetary wheels 100 mesh, which can be driven by a cogged drive wheel 101. Drive wheel 101 lies on a stub shaft 102 which is turned by a drive shaft 103 through a exible coupling" 109.

Within reach of annular groove 50 of head 30 of the bolt 5 semicircular coupling bolts 104 are arranged on diametrically opposite sides in coupling part 90. The semicircular bolts are completely rounded at their terminal ends 10S and are installed in coupling part 90 for turning about from the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the at side is flush with the inner wall of the boring of coupling part 90, to the position shown in Fig. 4, where the round part of the bolts engage in the annular groove 50 of the head 30 of bolt 5. The half turn of bolt 104 is effected by means of a rack rigidly installed in the pressure transmitting body 33 and which engages a cog wheel 107 arranged on the completely round terminal end 10S of the coupling bolt 104, yfor effecting said turning on axial motion of pressure transmitting body 33 relative to coupling part 90.

In operation, drive ring 98 is turned, for releasing latch bar 6, to compress the closing spring 6', through pressure on boss 32, by means of planetary Wheels 10 through rotation of ring 101 by means of shafts 103, and 102. The means 33 is thereby axially moved inward against -boss 32. Coupling bolts 104 are swung into the annular groove 50 of head 30 of bolt 15 by rack 106 when the pressure transmitting body 33 lies against boss 32. Bolt head 30 is liexibly supported against supporting frame 85, by means of springs 84 in case of further motion of pressure transmitting body 33 against boss 32 through the outward movement of the Acoupling part 90.

In the case ofthe reverse axial motion of pressure transmitting `body 33 for removing the pressure applying aver/,114

apparatus `from the door 4 the swinging of coupling bolt 104 takes place in the reverse manner into the position shown in Fig. 3.

In operation with both embodiments, with the housing in two inner and outer parts 70 and 72, or 90 and 96, and the claw means 13 or 104 for the latch bar bolt 5 on either outer or inner housing part 72 or 90, while the pressure transmitting means 33 is on the other inner or outer housing part 70 or 96, the pressure transmitting means 33 is axially moved by the rotary movement of the rotatable shaft 103, 102, through the screw threaded connection 97 between the outer housing part 72 or 96 and the rotatable annular member 51 or 98 interposed between the rotatable shaft 102 and the outer housing parts 72 or 96 when the shaft portions 102 and 103 are in axially aligned position with a latch bar bolt 5, so long as the outer housing part 72 or the inner housing part 90 that carries the claw means 13 or 104 for the bolt 5 for the latch bar 6 is the housing part that is suspended by springs 84 from the carriage framework 85 and the pressure transmitting means 33 is contained in the other inner housing part 70 or outer housing part 96, as will be readily seen from Figs. 1 and 2, in which the suspension springs 84 suspend the outer housing part 72 with the double armed claws 13 thereon in contrast with Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the suspension springs 84 suspend the inner housing part 90 with the claw shaped semi-circular bolts 104 thereon.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for releasing a coke oven door, cornprising: a housing in two inner and outer axially movable parts, a rotatable drive shaft disposed axially of said housing, claw means for grasping a latch bar bolt mounted on one of said housing parts and pressure transmitting means on the other of said two housing parts for transmitting a thrust to a latch bar part around the latch bar bolt, an annular member interposed between the rotary drive shaft and the outer housing part and rotatable with said drive shaft and rotatable relative to both of said housing parts, a screw threaded connection between the annular member and said outer housing part, a carriage framework for said housing, and suspension springs interposed between the carriage framework and the housing part carrying said claw means.

2. Apparatus for releasing a coke oven door, comprising: springs for exerting, in the closed position of the door, the total closure pressure by spring pressure, said springs being interposed between the door body and a latch bar on a bolt on the door with the latch bar engaging retainer means on a door frame for the door, means for compression of the closing springs comprising pressure applying apparatus releasably connectable with the door and operable by rotary motion, said apparatus being constituted of a housing composed of two axially movable inner and outer housing parts, pressure transmitting means on one of said housing parts for transmitting pressure to said springs to compress the same on axial movement of said housing part against said springs, claw means rotably mounted on the other housing part in position to engage the bolt for said latch bar when said pressure transmitting means is in position to axially engage the springs for said latch bar, means on said claw means cooperable with means on the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means for rotating the claws into engagement with bolt for the latch bars on axial movement of the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means into engagement with the latch bar springs to compress them, a carriage framework, suspension springs between said carriage framework and the housing part on which the claws are rotatably mounted, for flexibly supporting said pressure applying apparatus on said carriage for attachment thereof in axial alignment with the bolt for said latch bar, rotary means for supplying power for compression of said latch bar springs, said rotary means comprising a rotatable shaft axial of said housing, an annular member rotatable by the rotation of said shaft, said annular member having a screw threaded connection with the outer housing part and being interposed between the inner and outer housing parts with relative rotatable engagement of the annular member with the inner housing part during rotation of its screw threads in the screw threads of the outer housing part for converting the rotary movement of the rotatable shaft into a greater axial movement of the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and in which the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means is constituted as the inner housing part, the suspension springs are interposed between a portion of the housing integral with the outer housing part, the claw means comprises a double arm lever pivoted intermediate the arms on a pedestal intersecting with play the inner housing part, and the annular member comprises a disk centered on the drive shaft with an axial connection to the center of the inner housing part for free rotation therein, and a ball bearing raceway between the disk and an annular portion of the inner housing part in surrounding relation to said axial connection.

4. Apparatus as' claimed in claim 3, and which includes means for operating the back arms of theclaw means for forcing the fonward arms thereof out of engagement with the latch bar bolt on retractive axial movement of the inner housing part, containing the pressure transmitting means, into the outer housing part.

5. Appanatus 'as claimed in claim 2, and in which the housing pant containing the pressure transmitting means is constituted as the outer housing part, and the annular member comprises a ring gear with the screw threads on the outer periphery thereof, gear teeth on the interior thereof, and planetary gearing between said gear teeth and said rotary shaft.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and in which the aforesaid claw means comprises semi-circular bolts each with a flat side flush with an inner wall on the inner housing part to clear the latch bar bolt in the uncoupled condition with the latch bar `bolt and ylatch bar spring, and in which the cooperable means on the claw means and on the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means comprises pinions on the opposite ends of said semi-circular bolts and racks on the outer housing part containing the pressure transmitting means to operate the semicircular bolts on axial movement of the outer housing part outwardly from the inner housing part with a haJll:` turn to engage :the semicircular bolts With the latch bar bolt upon rotation of said planetary gearing by the rotary shaft in operation to attach and release the latch bar of the pressure of the latch bar springs.

7. Apparatus for releasing a coke oven door, comprising: means for compressing closing springs for a latch bar on a bolt comprising pressure applying apparatus releasaibly .connectible with the door and operable by rotary motion, `said apparatus being constituted of a housing composed of two axially movable inner and outer housing parts, pressure transmitting means on one of said housing parts for transmitting pressure to said springs to compress the same on anial movement of said housing part against said spring, claw means rotatably mounted on the other housing part in position to engage a bolt for a latch bar when said pressure transmitting means is in posi-t-ion to axially engage the springs for said latch bar, means on said claw means coopenable with means on the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means for rotating the claws into engagement with said bolt for the latch bars on axial movement of the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means into engagement with the latch -bar springs to compress them, a carriage framework, suspension springs be- .tween said carniage fnamework and the housing part on which the claws are rotatably mounted, for ilexibly supporting said pressure applying apparatus on said carriage for attaohment thereof ln axial align.- ment with the bolt for .Said latch bar, rotary means for Supplying power for Compression of Sadlateh bar Springs, Said rotary means Comprising a rotatable shaft axial of Said housing, .au annular member rotatable by the rotation of said shaft, said annular member having a screw threaded connection with the outer housing part and being interposed between the inner and outer housing parts with relative rotatable engagement of the annular member with the inner housing part during rotation of its screw threads in the screw threads of the outer housing part for converting the rotary movement of the rotatable shaft into a greater axial movement of the housing part containing the pressure transmitting means.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and in which the housing1 part containing the pressure transmitting means is constituted as. the inner housing part, Ithe suspension Asprings are interposed between a portion of the housing integral with the outer housing part, the claw means comprises a double arm lever pivoted intermediate the arms on a pedestal intersecting with play the inner housing part, and the annular member comprises a disk centered on the drive shaft with an axial connection to the center of the inner housing par-t for free rotation therein, and a ball bearing r-aceway between thedisk and an annular portion of rthe inner housing part lint surrounding relation to said axial connection. K E

9. Apparatus as claimed in lclaim 8, `and which incl-udes means for operating the back arms of the claw means for forcing the forward arms thereoflout of engagement with ,the latch bar boltton retractive axial movement of the 8 inner housing part, Containing the pressure .transmitting means, in to the outer housing part.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and in which lthe housing part containing the pressure y.transmitting means is constitutedV as theouter housing part, and the annular member comprises a ring gearr with the screw threads on the outer periphery thereof, gear teeth on the intenior thereof, and planetary gearingbetween said gear teeth and said rotary shaft.

ll. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and in which the aforesaid claw means comprises semicircular bolts each with a ilat side flush with an inner wall on the inner housing part to clear the latch bar bolt in the uncoupled condition with the latch bar bolt and latch bar spring, and in which the cooperable means on the olaw means and `on the housing part containing .the pressure transmitting means comprises pinions on the opposite ends of said semicircular bolts and racks on the outerthousingr-.par-t containing the pressure transmitting means to operatethe semicircular bolts on axial movement of the outer lions# vings pant outwardly from the inner housing part with a half turn to engage the semicircular vbolts with the .latch bar bolt upon rotation of said planetary gearing by the rotary shaft in operation to attach and release the latch bar of the pressure of the latch barrsprings.

saikvist Feb. 13,1940 Henseleit July 5, 1955 

